Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Montevideo and Marion, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Montevideo: $1,784 a month against $2,437 in Marion, IL, rent and utilities included – about $7,800 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Marion, IL outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

Montevideo
🇺🇾 Uruguay
$1,784
/mo nomad
Marion, IL
🇺🇸 United States
$2,437
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Montevideo and in Marion, IL

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Montevideo and in Marion, IL actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,784 per month in Montevideo vs $2,437 in Marion, IL, rent included.

  • Montevideo $1,784
  • Marion, IL $2,437

A couple spends around $2,756 per month in Montevideo vs $3,587 in Marion, IL, rent included.

  • Montevideo $2,756
  • Marion, IL $3,587

A family of three spends $3,728 per month in Montevideo vs $4,737 in Marion, IL, rent included.

  • Montevideo $3,728
  • Marion, IL $4,737

Montevideo is about 27% cheaper than Marion, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in utilities.

Both Montevideo and Marion, IL sit above the global median – Montevideo by 32%, Marion, IL by 80%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Montevideo
Marion, IL
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$14.82 UYU 595
$17.67 $17.67
-16.13%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$69.7 UYU 2,797
$76.3 $76.3
-8.59%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$14.68 UYU 589
$12.15 $12.15
20.82%
Cappuccino
$4.65 UYU 186
$5.73 $5.73
-18.85%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.74 UYU 110
$2.36 $2.36
16.10%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.07 UYU 82.9
$1.98 $1.98
4.55%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$4.79 UYU 192
$6.89 $6.89
-30.48%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.63 UYU 146
$7.96 $7.96
-54.40%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Montevideo
Marion, IL
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.39 UYU 55.8
$0.77 $0.77
80.52%
White Bread (500g)
$2.89 UYU 116
$1.63 $1.63
77.30%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.70 UYU 68.1
$3.94 $3.94
-56.85%
Eggs
$4.62 UYU 185
$2.99 $2.99
54.52%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$14.22 UYU 571
$4.34 $4.34
227.65%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$11.62 UYU 466
$11.43 $11.43
1.66%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.23 UYU 491
$18.99 $18.99
-35.60%
Apples (1kg)
$2.77 UYU 111
$5.77 $5.77
-51.99%
Banana (1kg)
$2.85 UYU 114
$1.74 $1.74
63.79%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.81 UYU 72.5
$5.71 $5.71
-68.30%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.20 UYU 129
$4.77 $4.77
-32.91%
Potato (1kg)
$1.94 UYU 77.8
$3.27 $3.27
-40.67%
Onion (1kg)
$2.16 UYU 86.5
$4.26 $4.26
-49.30%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.43 UYU 57.3
$2.64 $2.64
-45.83%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.94 UYU 77.9
$2.16 $2.16
-10.19%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.47 UYU 219
$9.08 $9.08
-39.76%
Wine (Bottle)
$8.95 UYU 359
$10.17 $10.17
-12.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.26 UYU 90.8
$1.71 $1.71
32.16%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.81 UYU 113
$1.59 $1.59
76.73%
🚌 Getting Around
Montevideo
Marion, IL
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.56 UYU 62.6
$1.82 $1.82
-14.29%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$73.8 UYU 2,962
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.90 UYU 76.2
$2.01 $2.01
-5.47%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.43 UYU 17.36
$1.39 $1.39
-69.06%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$10.59 UYU 425
$20.20 $20.20
-47.57%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.12 UYU 85.2
$0.99 $0.99
114.14%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.8K UYU 1.1M
$28.3K $28.3K
-5.48%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$37.0K UYU 1.5M
$26.6K $26.6K
38.95%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Montevideo
Marion, IL
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$193 UYU 7,727
$150 $150
28.20%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$20.91 UYU 839
$84.3 $84.3
-75.20%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$44.89 UYU 1,802
$73.7 $73.7
-39.07%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Montevideo
Marion, IL
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$50.8 UYU 2,038
$41.51 $41.51
22.31%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.73 UYU 792
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$12.30 UYU 494
$9.84 $9.84
25.00%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Montevideo
Marion, IL
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$629 UYU 25.2K
$1,694 $1,694
-62.88%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$10.9K UYU 437.3K
$24.4K $24.4K
-55.34%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Montevideo
Marion, IL
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$104 UYU 4,166
$25.46 $25.46
307.66%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$57.4 UYU 2,305
$33.36 $33.36
72.18%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$125 UYU 5,010
$74.9 $74.9
66.77%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$132 UYU 5,315
$86.1 $86.1
53.85%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Montevideo
Marion, IL
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$713 UYU 28.6K
$1,576 $1,576
-54.75%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$575 UYU 23.1K
$1,287 $1,287
-55.29%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,164 UYU 46.7K
$2,503 $2,503
-53.49%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,033 UYU 41.5K
$2,135 $2,135
-51.60%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,418 UYU 137.2K
$2,461 $2,461
38.90%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,760 UYU 70.6K
$2,586 $2,586
-31.93%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Montevideo
Marion, IL
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,244 UYU 49.9K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.74
6.6
-13.03%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Montevideo: October 19, 2026

Last update for Marion, IL: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Montevideo
$575
Marion, IL
$1.3K 124% $712
Groceries & Markets
Montevideo
$334
Marion, IL
$352 5.4% $18
Eating Out
Montevideo
$269
Marion, IL
$314 16.9% $45
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Montevideo
$258
Marion, IL
$308 19.3% $50
Clothing & Footwear
Montevideo
$188
Marion, IL
$99 47.5% $89
Getting Around
Montevideo
$84
Marion, IL
$16 * 80.7% $68
Sport & Entertainment
Montevideo
$75
Marion, IL
$61 18.8% $14

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $713 in Montevideo versus $1,576 in Marion, IL. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $70.0 in Montevideo versus $76.0 in Marion, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $334 vs $352 – making Montevideo the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇺🇾 Montevideo
🇺🇸 Marion, IL
🕒 Local time
23:27 11:27 PM
21:27 9:27 PM
2 h behind Montevideo
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,319,108 Capital
17,193
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to UYU – Uruguayan Peso Converter

Uruguayan Peso exchange rates as of October 21, 2026: 1 USD = 40.14 UYU (100 UYU = 2.49 USD). 1 EUR = 45.12 UYU (100 UYU = 2.22 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 21, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Montevideo Marion, IL 8,750 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Montevideo
  • Marion, IL

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.
Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index
Montevideo vs Marion, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Montevideo or Marion, IL?
Marion, IL costs about 37% more than Montevideo, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from utilities. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Montevideo and in Marion, IL?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,676 per month in Montevideo and $3,656 in Marion, IL. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Montevideo or Marion, IL?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Montevideo, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
How do dining costs compare in Montevideo and in Marion, IL?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $70.0 in Montevideo and $76.0 in Marion, IL. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Are groceries more expensive in Montevideo or in Marion, IL?
Groceries cost about 5% more in Marion, IL, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Can you live on $2,500/month in Montevideo or in Marion, IL?
A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Montevideo, where all-in costs run around $1,784, than in Marion, IL at $2,437. In Montevideo it covers expenses comfortably, while in Marion, IL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Montevideo or Marion, IL?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Montevideo costs $1,784 versus $2,437 in Marion, IL. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
How safe is Montevideo compared to Marion, IL?
Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.
Should I move to Montevideo or to Marion, IL?
If budget matters most, go with Montevideo. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Marion, IL makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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